


Anemones

by Muucifer



Series: Bellflowers [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Coming of Age Ceremony, Dragon John, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-11
Updated: 2014-11-11
Packaged: 2018-02-24 23:03:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2599763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muucifer/pseuds/Muucifer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When John can finally make Dirk his.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anemones

**Author's Note:**

> Based [on](http://lucifer-draws.tumblr.com/post/86814790423/johns-a-dragon-who-resides-as-the-wind-guardian) [these](http://lucifer-draws.tumblr.com/post/86850694018/some-more-sketches-from-the-dragonjohn-au-this) [pictures](http://lucifer-draws.tumblr.com/post/94492907638/another-sketchy-picture-of-the-dragon-au-this-time)[  
> ](http://lucifer-draws.tumblr.com/post/86850694018/some-more-sketches-from-the-dragonjohn-au-this)Follow up to [Campanulas](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1694450), this one is set a few years later.

When the day finally came in which John could claim Dirk as his own, it wasn’t surprising to find the guardian bouncing about. Tiny air currents whirled up under him, whizzing him this way and that as Dirk was carefully groomed and preened by his brother. John flitted about, fixing this or that and messing with Dirk’s hair every chance he could, until Dirk gave him a stern look and shooed him away. Still, the dragon was bursting with excitement at the prospect of being able to show the whole village exactly who Dirk belonged to.

The robes his brother had for Dirk weren’t the nicest, and John hadn’t been able to fight the frown that covered his features when he saw them. The children coming-of age were to be dressed in elaborate – or the most elaborate – gowns the family owned. John was well aware that Dirk and his brother didn’t have much money nor many personal possessions, but he didn’t realize they didn’t even have the gowns necessary for the ceremony. After assuring Dirk he would be back, John whizzed away on the wind, letting it tumble him into his room deep in the temple. If he remembered correctly, he had a very nice set made for someone who would soon be of Dirk’s stature. Surely they would fit as well, since they were plenty long on John and sometime in the last year Dirk has sprung up, filling out his frame in the way John knew he would.

Being wary of his claws, John collected the fine material with careful hands and allowed the wind to sweep him back to Dirk. Landing with as much grace as he was known for and a jingle of his gold, John wasted no time in undressing his lover and clothing him again in the fine robes he had brought for him. Sure enough, they fit Dirk as though they were made for him. Long sleeves hung from his shoulders, opening at the elbow and trailing to his knees, the back dropped low, and the sides split open from his hips to his ribcage. The silk was blue, as was normal for gifts bestowed upon John, and the finery that came along with it was glittering gold. Truly it was the only thing worthy of being on Dirk for such an occasion.

John rested his hands on Dirk’s shoulders, squeezing them and pulling the blonde close as the guardian gave his chosen a fond smile. “You’ll be fine, Dirk.” Leaning up onto his toes, John lightly pressed his lips to Dirk’s, pulling back and moving one hand up to comb through his spikes. “Just remember, after this you’ll officially be mine.” The last part is said with a low mumble, an undertone of exactly what he plans on doing. Dirk offered a shaky smile, arms curling around John’s waist and holding the dragon to his chest.

Their lips found each other’s again, slow and steady as John clung to him and tiny puffs of air danced around their ankles. Before they can get too into each other, (to the point Dirk could drag John away and not go through with it), Dirk’s brother appears. He hauled the blonde out into the square despite Dirk having stopped fighting his brother’s pull. Through the door he could see John watching him with an odd look. It’s a mix of adoration, fondness, and maybe something akin to sadness, though Dirk didn’t know why John would be sad. Raising his hand, he gave John a small wave just before the guardian vanished into the wind, letting the chimes decorating the house sing for him as he left. ‘It’ll be fine,’ Dirk tells himself,’ John has to be there for the ceremony.’

The other teenagers were waiting for him already when he and Bro get there, their parents fixing them up and smoothing out the lines on their robes and their faces with nervous hands. People were always so worried over who would choose their child – _if_ someone would choose their child. But Dirk and Bro weren’t worried at all; John would come for him. He promised.

Stopping Dirk in the procession line, Bro shuffled his feet in front of him, awkwardly twitching out to flick this or that on Dirk’s outfit. John did good in making him look presentable. Some stared in disgusted awe, and Dirk could easily see what they were thinking. He was the lowest in the village, he wasn’t suppose to show their precious spoiled brats up. Dirk ignored them and kept his head high, paying attention only to Bro and to the wind rustling around his ears. At one point, he swore he felt John’s lips on his cheek, but stopped himself from reaching up to touch it.

It’s not as though the others in the village didn’t know John had claimed him, John hadn’t been what one would call discreet about his sights and his affections for the blond. But that didn’t stop the village from being upset about it. The guardians rarely chose any humans in the ceremony, most of them having long ago decided they were quite happy to be free and without worry of guiding another. The year before had been the first in quite some time, when the water guardian chose a lady to keep her company as an “apprentice,” though if what John had whispered to Dirk during the ceremony was anything to go on, they were far closer to that.

Still, John insisted, and Dirk would do whatever it took, since he had nothing else to give. No gold, no gifts; the only things of value he might have had on his person were his first experiences, and John already made sure he had claimed those for himself. Since the day they met, John had always watched over him, and Dirk couldn’t imagine life without him.

Soon the elder made her appearance, hair long decorated in gold and pleats, her own gown pouring down her sides. She turned to address the teenagers first, each receiving a simple, small nod of acknowledgement to count them there. She folded her hands around the staff she carried, then used it to knock once against the large bell overhanging the veranda she was situated under. The ringing tone of the bell echoed over the village; the villagers stopped in their tracks as the noise faded around them to call their guardians.

John was always the first, though he was the youngest of them. Wind swirled up around the square, gathering into a miniature cyclone in a single place just before John’s form appeared. As the winds fade, his own robes settled, bells jingling and hair fluttering down to brush his cheeks. He looked so solemn that Dirk can’t help but search for his eyes as his heartbeat raced. They meet as a single breeze brushes along his face as before. So it had been John.

The water guardian, Rose, appeared next, similar to the way John had. Her purple dress and veil covered her body and face, and tiny semi-translucent purple scales lined the backs of her taloned hands. She was quiet, much more so than the others, and had been as long as anyone could remember. She served as the guiding light for the village. Her apprentice had gifted the water guardian with a new dress, made with new materials and obvious affection showing in the quality of every stitch. The ceremonial outfit was completed with gold bangles and necklaces hung laden with jade stones, also courtesy of her apprentice.

The fire and earth guardians came after, together on either side. Dirk had seen Dave before, small glimpses here and there, as he and John were apparently very close, but it was still nearly nauseating to see how similar in appearance Dirk himself is to the fire guardian, aside from the decoration of scales littering over the guardians face, each tiny red scale making a small freckle. His clothes were red, inlaid with the same gold as the others as well as fiery orange and yellows, more practically made for movement while still being elegant. As with Rose, he served another purpose, protection. Well known for being the head of combat and training, though their village was hardly ever disturbed. Jade appeared in browns and greens, her expression much less somber than the other three as she bounces in place at Rose’s side, shimmering bright green scales reflecting the light with each movement.

Once the guardians were all there, the elder fell into a respectful bow, her hair falling forward over her shoulders before being brushed back as she straightened to address the craftsmen, the artisans, the masters of their form. Each of them is in a row, much like the teens ready for their rite of passage. She makes the same speech every year, her bubbling voice gentle as she goes on. Dirk not-so-subtly zoned her out as he finds Johns eyes yet again. It’s hardly a surprise to find the guardian watching him, eyes only slightly glazed over as he zoned out as well. Dirk almost broke his pokerface with a smile, until a round of polite applause resounds around him and he nearly jumped. He did not, however, miss the small laugh that escaped Johns lips, nor the tiny swat to the back of John’s head from Rose, _nor_ the elbow to the rib from Dave.

For once Dirk actually found it hard to sit still as the craftsmen squint at him, as though placing his worth as an apprentice, eying him up and down like they actually intend to incur the wrath of the dragon sitting not twenty feet behind him. They all moved on, most choosing another until Dirk was alone at his end and a couple near the other side. Despite knowing John would claim him, it still made him nervous. As a child it was usually a good laugh among kids and adults alike when there was someone who hadn’t been chosen.

They weren’t good enough, but he was. Dirk knew he was, because John wanted him.

Finally, as the elder faced the guardians, she goes to conclude but was interrupted by John’s slight form practically vanishing from his seat as the air whirled around her, only to reform back into the guardian as he stood in front of what was left of the line. She looked confused by Johns sudden movements and lack of explanation, as well as slightly offended by his disappearing act during the ceremony even though he reappeared quickly, but snapped her painted lips closed as John picked his way to Dirk, anklets chiming and the scales along his collarbone shifting with each movement. Dirk offered a smile, heart practically in his throat, and it pulsed in joy when John gives him one in return before curling his clawed fingers over Dirks hand, pulling him out of the line.

As with every other person who’d gone before him, John cleared his throat – not that he needed to – before speaking up, “I, wind guardian of the valley –” Dirk bit his lips trying not to laugh; each master had to introduce themselves, and John sounded far too serious. Yet his voice rang as clear as one of his bells, “Claim one Dirk Strider as an apprentice of my temple, and hold him to his duty.”

Even though he knew every word John was going to say, Dirk still felt his knees go a little weak. He flipped his hand out, instinctively grabbing hold of John’s to keep himself steady. The other male finally gave him a full smile, white teeth peaking out from behind his lips as he beams at Dirk. There’s another round of applause as John lead Dirk back to the veranda with him, Dave moving out of the way as Dirk stepped up to settle in at John’s side.

At the ceremony’s conclusion everyone filed out, each family who had been chosen is off to celebrate. Dirk’s brother gave him an understanding nod before slipping off into the crowd; they’d celebrate some other time. Dirk barely managed a quiet thank you to the other guardians before John rushed him out of the way and back to his temple. There technically were other people who took care of the grounds, and it was no surprise when they get back to find everything in perfect shape, including John’s own room having been sealed off for the both of them.

John dragged him in by the waist, twirling around him and jittering with pent up energy and excitement as Dirk took in his surroundings. Before he could get much examined, however, John’s on top of him, floating at his level and kissing him hard, fingers buried in the blonds spikes as he tilted the human’s face up. Dirk stumbled, slightly uncoordinated as John practically sucked the air from his lungs, lips pressed to his own tightly. John let go only because he seemed to remember people actually do require oxygen to survive. Regardless, he held their foreheads together, nuzzling his nose gently against Dirk’s as they both huffed deep breaths between the both of them.

Finally, he leaned back, arms trailing up to settle over Dirks shoulders, and John gave him another brilliant smile. The human managed to give one back as well as he felt it tug his lips and crinkle the corner of his eyes. Looping his arms down around John’s lower back, Dirk held him close and tucked his face into the guardian’s neck, letting out a shaky sigh, “Shit that was nerve wracking, let’s not ever do that again. They were all staring me down like you don’t even know; like I was a prime cut of fine meat. Which we both know I am but still.”

John’s nails scritched against the back of his head gently, the brunet humming to him lightly, “Of course I’d never let them get away with that; I should have just went first. I was going to, actually, but Rose is a butthead and she had a hold of my shirt, and Dave kept hitting me every time I moved too much. Jeeze, they’re like overbearing parents; it’s not like I was going to pounce on you. Not in public at least.” His voice dropped to a purr at the last sentence, eyes lidded as he pressed himself flush to the blond. 

Dirk rolled his eyes, curling his fingers into the fabric draped around John’s waist as he nodded, “Uh-huh sure you weren’t. I can’t say I blame them; you can hardly contain yourself, can you?” Shifting to rest their cheeks together, Dirk exhaled slowly, then inhaled, taking in the fresh, open scent rolling off his lover. It was calming, more so than anything else, and the slow beat of John’s heart resting against his chest lulled him until he’s calmed down as well. Finally Dirk brushed his lips across John’s, lighter than the first kiss and certainly more tender, “Thanks again, for everything, ya’know.”

He tried to brush it off with a shrug, even though he knew John would take him seriously no matter – which was good as he was kind of going for serious – but John leaned into a third kiss, giggling into Dirk’s mouth, “Of course, I couldn’t leave my poor Dirk all alone out there.” John paused, giving him a smaller smile, “I love you too much.”

Relaxing fully into the guardian’s arms, Dirk ducked into a nod, his forehead thunking against John’s collarbone, causing the brunet to huff out a laugh and cuddled him closer. The calm around them was a stark contrast to the hustle of the morning, the buzz of nervous energy faded away into the stillness of comfort. John always felt like home, ever since he first appeared to Dirk. It’s no different now, except now John really was home. Squeezing his boyfriend tighter, Dirk mumbled a quiet, “I love you too,” in return. The gentle breeze that wrapped around the both of them told him he was finally home.


End file.
